Chau Doc in the South West, near the Cambodian border, accommodates a cosmopolitan mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer, and Cham today. But in this region the Vietnamese conflicts with Cambodia and China began at the end of the seventies. The memory of the April 1978 massacre in nearby Ba Chuc with more than 3,000 dead and only 2 survivors is still very vivid.

Today’s daily life revolves around silk production and fish farming. The houses float on a construction of barrels or canisters on water. Below this, there are Often large metal cages where the fish are bred. These are mostly for the low-fat and nearly boneless catfish – Ca Ba Sa – which is fattened for 8 to 10 months up to a weight of more than 1 kilogram.

The leisurely flowing lower Mekong river Hau Giang offers the Cham, who live here in Chau Doc, a chance to avoid paying land tax for building on land, as they build their houses on stilts in the riverbank instead.

The Hindu and Islam embossed Tay An pagoda stands at the foot of the mountain Mui Sam five kilometres away. Once a statue of the Lady Chua Xa stood on its summit with a wide, clear view towards Cambodia. According to the legend, the Siamese tried to steal it in the early 19th Century, but whilst transporting it down the mountain the statue became heavier and heavier, so the thieves finally gave up.

Around the centre of the market hall, the business activity develops even into the lanes which get even narrower down towards the river. The stalls, eating houses and mobile service providers are set up close together in an endless line. And offer everything your heart desires.